Question for Club Owners or Managers with multiple trainers...

I am looking for ideas on the best way possible to make sure PT clients are paying the club. Our trainers have an agreement with the owner for a % but it is my job as the manager to take the contracts and payments and enter them into our system. However, I am trying to verify that all clients that are being trained, are paying (according to the contracts - not just paying the trainer), and getting entered into the system properly.

I have heard of issues going on within other clubs in the area in which trainers are taking money "under the table" and wish to avoid this happening in my clubs. Any best practices or advice greatly appreciated.

Answers (12)

Hello Thea,
Unfortunately, "under the table" is very hard to monitor or control. Independent contractors would be my choice. Each trainer pays "rent" or a "set fee" per month regardless of how many clients they have or train.

We use a computer system not only for our membership base but to schedule the training. All trainers must book and complete their sessions into the system in order to get paid. Clients are able to keep a credit card on file-it streamlines the whole process, and all of our trainers are independent contractors too.

This is rampant throughout most clubs, all have made great points on this. What you do is continue to interact with clients prior to and post workouts. But mainly instill pride in the trainers and reward them for good work.

If you can, why not have the clients pay the club directly and then you issue a 'net' check to the trainers? By using this method, along with a client sign-in for sessions this should help.

Also, this may sound "pie in the sky," but I would not have trainers work in my studio/gym/club that I cannot trust. I would make sure that I pay the trainers a good rate (to attract the best), and make it be known that if anyone is caught "cheating the system" they are GONE no questions asked.

Even with logging sessions into a computer and not paying until the sessions are completed I believe there is not a totally fool proof way to be one hundred percent certain that your trainers are not getting paid under the table
I think renting space/time is a great way to handle this and I agree with LaRues pie in the sky comment

Hello Thea,
Its a very interesting question.
The thing is the relation between a customer and aPT is really strong. as a trainer it already happened that clients wanted to pay me directly or with a supplement.
I think the best way is to let PT take 100% of their training but ask for a monthly rent.

you can add new services for your clients as a personnal check up.
then if a trainer sell a chek up he will need special tools. then you can know how many chek up they sold.
But for the training I think the rent is the best way.

Give it a look, and should you decide to take it further, let them know that Cynthia sent you. I've used this as a trainer, and now am looking at it as a studio owner for the very reasons you describe, plus more. I'm very impressed. Best wishes, Cynthia

As others have suggested there is no fool proof system keeping these interactions from happening. You can have all the systems in place and still there will be some "illegal" activity going on. What I would suggest is to have an area where all of the PT clients are coming in to meet their trainers and either yourself or someone else that you trust, should be there at all times to sign-in these clients before their session with their trainer. This way you will know when the clients are coming in for training and don't just wait for your trainers to log them into the system. It would be very easy for them to forget to log a few sessions into the system (which means they are getting paid under the table). Trainers come and go, but the clients wouldn't be there if the gym wasn't there at the first place.